Whimbrel
Habitat and behaviour
Habitat: Northern moors (summer); coast (passage).
Diet: Crabs, insects.
Best time to spot: Smaller than Curlew; striped crown.
When to look
Resident in the UK, so it can be found year-round. Numbers peak in May. See the May birding guide for what else is about. More on the season in Bird migration in Britain.
Recent UK sightings
No community sightings logged for this species yet. Log the first one.
Similar birds
- Eurasian CurlewCommon · Moorland (summer); estuaries (winter)
- Arctic SkuaUncommon · Northern moors (summer); sea (passage)
- Arctic TernUncommon · Northern coasts (summer)
- Common GreenshankUncommon · Bogs (summer); estuaries (passage)
- Great SkuaUncommon · Northern isles (summer)
- MerlinUncommon · Moorland (summer); coast (winter)
Kit that helps
Best spotting scopes for UK birding. Affiliate links, tested picks, no extra cost to you.
See Whimbrel sightings on the map